BJA FY 19 Enhancing Task Force Leadership, Operations, and Management | BJA 2019 15244

Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2019 15244

The BJA FY 19 Enhancing Task Force Leadership, Operations, and Management opportunity (Funding Opportunity No. BJA 2019 15244) was a discretionary grant program offered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), created on March 25, 2019, with an original application deadline of May 28, 2019. It sat within BJA's broader set of Law Enforcement National Initiatives aimed at improving responses to persistent criminal justice challenges through training, operational support, and coordinated national-level efforts. The program was explicitly framed to align with the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, which emphasizes collaborative, data-informed strategies to reduce violent crime and strengthen public safety outcomes.

At its core, the announcement focused on strengthening the functioning of the criminal justice system by investing in national initiatives that build capability in local jurisdictions. The activities emphasized practical training and capacity-building rather than direct service delivery alone. The opportunity outlined four primary focus areas: first, providing training designed to enhance the capacity of local jurisdictions to address violent crime and improve public safety, which can include modern approaches to task force leadership, interagency coordination, and evidence-informed operational planning; second, delivering training to communities on addressing victim and witness intimidation, a longstanding barrier to successful investigation and prosecution that can undermine community trust and case outcomes; third, offering training intended to strengthen the investigative function of law enforcement agencies, which typically involves improving investigative management, case development practices, information-sharing, and investigative techniques that support more effective and legally sound outcomes; and fourth, coordinating activities of the BJA Criminal Justice Forecasting Group, signaling an interest in organized, strategic collaboration around forecasting, analytics, and forward-looking assessment of criminal justice trends to better inform planning and resource allocation.

The funding instrument type was a grant, categorized under a broad funding activity umbrella that includes education and training, information and statistics, and law, justice, and legal services. The relevant CFDA number listed for the opportunity was 16.738. BJA anticipated making approximately five awards under this solicitation, with an award ceiling of $500,000 per award. This structure suggests a competitive, national-scope program where recipients would likely be expected to produce scalable training resources, deliver training and technical assistance to multiple jurisdictions or audiences, and support coordination efforts that have reach beyond a single locality.

Eligibility was expansive, reflecting BJA's intent to draw from a wide range of organizations capable of delivering training, coordination, and national support. Eligible applicants included state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding universities where applicable); and for-profit organizations, including small businesses. In practical terms, that eligibility mix opens the door to state and local agencies, universities and research centers, national nonprofits with training infrastructure, and specialized private-sector providers that can deliver curricula, technical assistance, analytics support, or program coordination.

Overall, the opportunity can be understood as a targeted investment in strengthening the leadership, management, and operational effectiveness of law enforcement task forces and their partners, with a specific emphasis on violent crime reduction aligned to PSN. By prioritizing training in investigative strengthening and strategies to counter victim and witness intimidation, the solicitation pointed toward improving both the quality of investigations and the conditions that allow cases to move forward. The additional emphasis on coordinating the BJA Criminal Justice Forecasting Group highlights an interest in advancing coordinated, data-driven planning and national alignment, reinforcing that the program was designed not just to fund isolated training events, but to support broader capability-building and strategic coordination across the criminal justice landscape.

• The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in the education, employment, labor and training, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), information and statistics, law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 19 Enhancing Task Force Leadership, Operations, and Management" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.738.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 25, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 28, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for BJA 2019 15244

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